Local hearts set in motion

By Teresa Stowell of the Daily Times staff
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:08 PM CST

Beth Hoffman (right) and her mother, Dot Steinhorst, both of Watertown, also participated in the volunteer mission trip to Guatemala in October.

Unlike many mothers and daughters who may spend time together taking shopping trips or cooking and baking, a local mother and daughter spent some quality time together in another country helping others who are less fortunate.

Beth Hoffman and her mother, Dot Steinhorst, both of Watertown, traveled to Guatemala last month with Dr. Kevin O'Halloran, an orthopedic doctor in Watertown, through the Hearts in Motion organization.

The mother and daughter duo assisted doctors and handed out medication and food to residents in rural Guatemala through the nonprofit and nondenominational organization.

Hearts in Motion provides care and medical treatment for children, families and communities in the United States, and Central and South America. Hearts in Motion has established itself in Guatemala by providing care and services since 1990.

A cooperative relationship exists with local government leaders in Guatemala. This helps in identifying needs and priorities of the groups served. The trip the Watertown residents participated in last month was based in Zacapa, Guatemala, and included orthopedic surgeries and general medical needs by setting up medical clinics in rural villages.

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O'Halloran was part of a team of volunteer doctors who performed numerous orthopedic surgeries at a hospital in Zacapa. Other specialty medical groups take trips to the area at other times of the year. The group of about 50 volunteers from throughout the United States stayed in Zacapa. Hoffman and Steinhorst roomed together.

“It was really such a good experience,” Hoffman said. “It's good in many ways for what you do for the people and what you learn from them.”

Hoffman first learned about the trip through doctor O'Halloran, who is her family's doctor. He told her about his experiences on the trip the year before and said no medical experience is necessary to volunteer. She first volunteered last October with O'Halloran and then convinced her mother to volunteer with her this October. The experience was so great for Hoffman that she has now decided to go back to school to become a surgical assistant. Steinhorst's first mission trip also had a great influence on her.

“When I came back I sat in my living room and just looked at all this stuff,” Steinhorst said. “I thought about all I have and all those people we helped had.”

First time volunteers are asked to go out with the organization to rural villages and help set up clinics to see patients. Steinhorst rode along in a truck to many very poor areas where she helped talk to patients and hand out medications. While visiting the villages the volunteers would also bring bean sandwiches and rice milk for the people.

“We'd set up clinics in the mountain villages in a barn, a church or in a school,” Steinhorst said. “For many of these people it's the first time they've ever seen a doctor. I was told if there is a pregnant woman who has problems while birthing, many times they'll just light a candle set it on her belly and pray.”

Steinhorst said one day the group traveled to a remote area and were met at the bottom of a mountain with men in pickup trucks and others on horses holding guns. The men took Steinhorst and the other volunteers up the mountain where 75 people were waiting in a line who had never seen a doctor before.

“These people are amazing,” Steinhorst said. “No one complains about waiting and children are content with playing with a stick and rocks in the dirt. They are so grateful.”

Hoffman visited the villages last year so this year she stayed at the hospital and assisted O'Halloran and other doctors in surgery by handing tools, getting supplies and helping patients. She said the doctors did surgeries on children with club feet and others who had an injury and needed an amputation. Children and adults with other medical conditions were also seen. Hoffman said the volunteers treated a 2-year-old girl who weighed 8 pounds and another 8-year-old girl who weighed 25 pounds.

Both Hoffman and Steinhorst said the experience of helping the Guatemalans who have so little was a life changing experience.

“It was so nice to share this experience with my mother,” Hoffman said.

“Even though we live a mile away and talk three times a day, I still feel like it has brought us closer together,” Steinhorst said.

Hoffman and Steinhorst collected supplies from local businesses to give to the people and the hospital. Orthodontic Associates of Watertown donated boxes of old scrub tops for patients and doctors. Hoffman said before receiving the scrub tops many times patients would go into surgery in their regular clothes.

Steinhorst helped bring an extra smile to children in the rural villages by handing out beanie babies donated by Draeger Floral of Watertown. She said the children's usual toys consisted of sticks and rocks.

The mother and daughter plan to return with the group next year and have made it their mission to collect used shoes for a village of Guatemalans who they noticed had no shoes.